This is my virgin blog, so I’ll give you some background. I am currently 31 yrs old. I live in New Haven, CT. I work as a Museum Technician at the Peabody Museum at Yale University. I am a visual artist, a musician, a photographer, and a music addict. I spend the better part of my day talking about, reading about, listening to, watching, or playing music. I have been this way my whole life. Recently I was discussing this with a friend, and I thought I should start a music blog. The impetus for it started with the ongoing debate over downloading music from soul seek(or whatever you use). I have a theory that if you are anything like me then you can sequester your guilt by taking what you’ve been given (free music), and spread it around as much as possible. I spend a lot of time collecting music, and I am gracious to have the opportunity to do so. What I give back to the musicians is all the people I turn on to their music. I have been the reason for other people coming to your shows, buying your merch, and playing your music, just by turning them on to it. I think it’s a fair trade.
It is a beautiful day in New Haven, so I won’t spend my whole day in a dark room staring at a screen. I’ll start with something easy. Recently I got the song Goin’ to Acapulco done by Jim James and Calexico. I think I’ve listened to it a hundred times (at least). It’s from the soundtrack for I’m Not There. I remember seeing the movie with my mom, and I remember seeing Jim James in the movie, but for some reason the songs didn’t stick out to me at the time. Here’s what it looked like.
I guess there was enough happening visually that I didn’t make a mental note about the song. A few weeks ago I started snooping around to try and find some Jim James solo stuff, because I had seen him at the Revenge of the Bookeaters benifit in NY last year and he was amazing. He did some things with his voice that sounded inhuman. There are a few things I’d like to say about this track in particular though. The sparse beginning with a guitar and a few stitched in bass notes really gives emphasis to Jim James’ voice. When you’re satisfied with the simplicity after a few bars the drums, horns, and chorus vocals swell up like a rogue wave. For the rest of the song the horns and drums stay subdued until the chorus. One of the best parts of this track is Jim’s “yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa” straight into the horns. Just a brilliant song, and the collaboration was match made in heaven.
***current recommendations:
Tapes ‘n Tapes – Walk It Off
Architecture in Helsinki – In Case We Die
Dodos – Visiter
Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St.
